From The Publisher: February 2014

02/07/2014 01:22PM
● Published by Aimee Cormier

By Art Suerbielle

Hold on to your seats. It’s about to take off! No, I’m not referring to the next flight leaving LFT, but the widespread legalization of the use of marijuana. Oh, did I mention that legalized marijuana can only be used for medical purposes? The states of Washington and Colorado recently passed laws allowing this and it appears many others will be following their lead.

It’s hard to understand the rationale behind this. Who, in their right mind, would like to visit a healthcare provider who is “high?” Or which one of us would be content having our children ride home on a school bus driven by someone who just smoked a joint? What about someone who is a chef or cook in your favorite restaurant? What ingredients might they include in your meal? Let’s get real.

In his own words, President Barack Obama said, “As has been well documented, I smoked pot as a kid, and I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life. I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol.” These comments were made to David Remnick during an interview for New Yorker magazine. This is only President Obama’s opinion.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 substance along with heroin and LSD, to mention a few. The DEA views all substances in this group “as the most dangerous class of drugs with a high potential for abuse and potentially severe psychological and/or physical dependence.”

Commissioner Roger Goodell of the National Football League, has recently said the NFL would consider allowing players to use marijuana in the treatment of concussions and other head injuries if medical experts thought it reasonable. What? This is the NFL where any type of drug use gets a player suspended. And now they are considering marijuana use? How will this skew their drug tests?

Fast forward to our own presidential hopeful Governor Bobby Jindal. He recently went on record stating that he was open to legalizing the medical use of marijuana in Louisiana as long as patients were supervised by a doctor and the drug’s distribution strictly controlled.

So, what’s the problem here? Another highly addictive substance will become readily available with the opportunity for abuse too close to home.

There are many so-called “wonder drugs” that are tightly controlled and only available with a doctor’s prescription that are now commonly available on the street. Many of these drugs have led to serious drug addiction by patients who were introduced to them by a doctor. Oxycontin is a prime example of a drug that has created a multitude of addicts.

Why should we open the door to legalized marijuana usage, albeit for medical purposes, when history tells us that’s a sure path to a new addiction for thousands?

Show us the research that the benefits achieved from marijuana cannot be obtained by using other non-addictive medications. Just say “NO” to legalized marijuana in Louisiana for any purpose.

Verse of the Month

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.